The word ‘taco’ comes from the Nahuatl word ‘tlahco’ which means “half or in the middle”, referring to the way it is formed.
The origin of tacos is still unknown. According to Jeffrey M. Pilcher, a professor at the University of Minnesota suspects that it dates back to the 18th century in silver mines of Mexico. This is because back then, “taco” was the word referred to the charges they used when excavating the ore. It was the gunpowder that had been wrapped in paper to ignite an explosion in the mines. This is similar to the meat wrapped in a taco shell, especially if that taco is spicy, thus creating an explosion of flavour in your mouth. For the same reason, the first type of tacos was called tacos de minero—miner’s tacos.
First Appearance of Tacos
The first mention of Tacos was in 1905, in an American newspaper. This was when Mexican migrants were working the mines and railroads and brought tacos with them.
At first, Mexican food was seen as lower-class, until the children of those migrant workers grew up and had more advantages than their parents, as far as economics were concerned.
At the same time in Mexico…
There were migrants coming to Mexico at the same time. The Lebanese migrants brought shawarma, and they put it on little pita bread. However, when they start putting the meat on tortillas, they’re called tacos arabes: Arab tacos. Later, they started using pork instead of lamb. They also started adding a little pineapple.
In the 1960s, Tacos al pastor got popular and then became a standard Mexican dish that’s now everywhere.
Tacos Today
Many believe that tacos are a staple to the American diet in today’s world. Some consider it as “Mexican” food, but the tacos that Americans eat are not authentic to the Mexican culture. Some restaurants give you the true taste of Mexican taco, but they are few and far between.
So, a taco at an American-Mexican style restaurant will present you with a meal that is stuffed with flavour and all of your favourite ingredients.
Here, at On the Border, you can get the best of both worlds. Experience South-Cali Mexican Tacos, stuffed with your favourite fillings and chilled drinks to give you overall satisfying experience.
When are we meeting you for Tacos then?
